BY DOMINIQUE GABRIEL G. BAÑAGA

Three persons were killed while five others were injured in a shootout on Alunan Road in Barangay Sum-ag, Bacolod City yesterday afternoon.

The police have yet to release their names as of this writing but this paper gathered information that one of the injured was Mikaela Malabor, daughter of Isabela mayor Joselito Malabor.

Bago City police head Senior Inspector Hercules Trigue said two among the three persons who were killed robbed a panel van carrying cigarettes in Barangay Taloc, Bago City around 4:30 p.m. on Friday.

The two, who were armed with .38-caliber firearms, declared holdup and forced those inside the van to surrender their collection money that amounted P60,000.

After taking the money, the two suspects fled to Barangay Sum-Ag on board a motorcycle.

Some witnesses tipped off the Bago police regarding the suspects’ movement. The Bago police then relayed the information to Bacolod City’s Police Station 9.

Patrolling members of the Bacolod City Mobile Force Company were able to chance upon the suspects, who still tried to flee.

The chase reached Alunan road in front of the Sum-ag National High School where the suspects were cornered.

One of the suspects fired at the police officers, prompting the latter to retaliate.

During the gunfight, six civilians were hit by stray bullets. They were rushed to the South Bacolod General Hospital for treatment but one of them died.

Police recovered the stolen P60,000 cash, firearms and the motorcycle from the suspects./DGB, WDJ